WordLens

ascendant

1 of 2noun
/əˈsɛndənt/
Forms:ascendants
1

a person from whom one is descended, typically more distant than a grandparent

  • She traced her lineage back to an ancient ascendant who founded the village.
  • His ascendants had lived in the same valley for centuries.
  • The family claimed noble blood through a distant royal ascendant.
  • Old portraits of his ascendants lined the mansion's main hall.
  • The historian studied the records of early settlers to find her ascendants.
Synonyms:
rootascendentancestorantecedent
Antonyms:
descendant
2

a position or condition of dominance, superiority, or controlling influence

  • The reformist faction gained the ascendant in the party's leadership.
  • For decades, the empire held an unquestioned ascendant over its neighbors.
  • The digital economy is now in the ascendant across the world.
  • The manager's authority remained ascendant despite internal resistance.
  • His calm demeanor gave him the ascendant in tense negotiations.
Synonyms:
ascendent